Eye strain is a common condition where your eyes become tired from intense visual activity. It causes temporary discomfort and typically improves with rest, without causing lasting vision damage to your eyes.
Common Signs of Eye Strain
Eye strain often causes sensations in and around the eyes. These include soreness, tiredness, or heaviness, sometimes with a burning or itching sensation. Such symptoms can make it difficult to keep eyes open or maintain focus. Eyes may also become unusually dry or excessively watery.
Visual disturbances are also common. Blurred vision is common, and some individuals experience double vision. Sensitivity to light, known as photophobia, can also develop, making bright environments uncomfortable for your eyes. Eye strain can also cause involuntary eye twitches or a sensation similar to having sand or a foreign object in the eye.
Strain can also affect other body parts. Headaches are common, often a dull ache around the forehead or temples. Muscle tension from poor posture or sustained focus can extend to the neck and shoulders, causing discomfort or pain. Difficulty concentrating on tasks also accompanies eye strain.
What Causes Eye Strain?
Eye strain occurs when the muscles responsible for focusing your eyes are overworked. Extended digital screen use (computers, smartphones, tablets) is a leading cause, often called digital eye strain. This happens because people blink less, leading to dry eyes, and eyes constantly adjust to less defined text and glare on displays.
Activities requiring sustained visual concentration also contribute. Reading for long durations without breaks, driving long distances, or detailed tasks like crafting or writing can cause eye fatigue. Poor lighting (inadequate or excessive) and glare also make eyes work harder.
Environmental factors also contribute. Dry air from heating or air conditioning can worsen dry eyes, a common eye strain symptom. Uncorrected vision problems (farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism) increase strain as eyes struggle to focus. Stress and general fatigue also lower eye tolerance, increasing susceptibility to strain.
When to Seek Medical Advice
While eye strain is temporary and resolves with rest, some symptoms warrant professional evaluation. Consult an eye care specialist if symptoms are severe, persistent, or do not improve with rest or environmental adjustments. Ongoing discomfort that interferes with daily activities suggests a need for medical attention.
Sudden vision changes, like new double vision, sudden blurriness, or many new floaters/flashes of light, require an immediate eye doctor visit. These symptoms could indicate a more serious underlying eye condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Also, if eye strain includes severe eye pain or unexplained neck/shoulder pain, seek medical consultation to rule out other health concerns. An eye exam can help determine if uncorrected vision issues or other medical problems contribute to symptoms.